Submitted by Linda Talbott, Haddam Sustainability Committee
(December 10, 2022) —December 8, 2021 was the opening day of Haddam’s Food Scrap Compost program located at the Haddam Transfer Station. A large sign was made and located right next to the Swap Shack, telling people where the Blue Earth Compost 32- gallon bins would be located. Post card mailings announcing the new program went out to residents of Haddam, Higganum and Haddam Neck in November 2021. The Town purchased 100 starter kits, consisting of a six-gallon transport bin, a two-gallon countertop bin and included a roll of 25 Biobag compostable bags to line the countertop bin with. They all sold out and 50 more kits were ordered, as well as more of the Biobags.
You do not need a starter kit to participate, but if you want one, there are about 14 kits left at the Town Office Building. Stop by the Tax Collector’s office, the Assessor’s office or the First Selectman’s office to get one for a donation of $25. Extra Biobags at $5.00 for a roll of 25 are also available at the Town Office Building. This program is free to all residents who have a transfer station pass. You can participate even if you have a private trash hauler as there are free Food Scrap Only passes you can obtain at the Town Office Building.
How did we do in our first year? As of November 30, 2022, we have removed 41,755 lbs. or 20.87 Tons of food scraps from Haddam’s Municipal Solid Waste! Congratulations to everyone who participated! We average filling seven or eight Blue Earth Compost bins, but have had a few times when we have filled nine bins and had a record ten bins filled on the weekend after Thanksgiving. If we consistently fill twelve bins, we can go to a two-yard dumpster.
Thank you to the Haddam Board of Selectmen and to Chris Corsa, the Assistant Director of Public Works, both of whom have been highly supportive of this program. Special thanks go out to all the Transfer Station staff who monitor the bins and wheel them in and out of the shed where they are stored.
Members of the Haddam Sustainability Committee also volunteer their time to pick up the leftover food scraps from the luncheons at the Senior Center on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and bring them to the Transfer Station.
This is a real community effort. Let’s keep it going! Contact the Committee at haddamsustainabilitycommittee@gmail.com.
Photo from December 8, 2021
